The Final Gift
by fantasylov3r
Summary: A little short story. This takes place just a few weeks after Hercules was kidnapped and changed mortal.


Cries echoed into the night. A small baby laid in his crib, tears stinging his face. His eyes were closed shut as the rivers escaped from the corner. He kicked everything out of the way, a few broken pieces of wood was scattered across the room. His parents, in the other room, covered their ears trying to block the sound. They fed him, washed him and tried to comfort him. But nothing work, he was fussing over nothing. His mother tried to hold him but he continue to cry and pushed her away. He had bruised her arm, he didn't want her. His father tried as well, but he ended up with a broken arm. 'Oh Amphitryon, what are we going to do? He has been crying night and day for the past week.' She signed and stared at her husband. 'I don't know, dear.' He groaned from the pain in his arm. He was starting to understand why this child was abandon. He was too strong, for any age. Alcmene was close to tears. All her life, she had wanted a child. She had wanted to be a mother. When her and her husband first found Hercules, she rejoiced for her prayer was finally answered. At the beginning, Hercules was a happy and giggling baby. He laughed and squealed whenever she was near him. But for the past week, it's was liked he had enough of her and wanted someone else. He would now cry whenever she was around. 'Maybe I was never meant to be a mother.' She chocked on her tears. 'I'm a horrible mother.' Amphitryon turned to his wife and hugged. 'That is not true, my dear. You were meant to be a mother.' Alcmene shocked her head and cried to his chest. 'Then why couldn't I bare any children? Why does Hercules cry whenever I'm near him? If I'm meant to be a mother, then why is all this happening?' She sobbed louder and griped Amphitryon's chiton. The man just held his wife as she cried. He too couldn't understand why the boy was acting like this. They had taken the boy into their home and had given him a chance of life. Now he is kicking and hurting both he and his wife. He was beginning to regret accepting this child as his son. He stared into the skies.

High in Olympus, a couple was too struggling with their inner demons. Hera looked at the earth where her child laid. She had lost Hercules just two weeks ago and the effects were starting to show. She knew why Hercules was crying. He wanted her and Zeus. He didn't want these mortals anymore. He had grown tired of them and wanted his real mother and father. So, for the past week, he had been crying endlessly from dawn. He was calling for them and wanted only them to provide for him. His cries reached her ears torn her into two. Hera turned her head and tighten her eyes, water leaked out. Her mother's instincts were fighting against her logic. Her conscience was pushing her over the edge and her mind was drawing her back in. She had enough, _'I don't care what the rules say. My baby needs me and nobody is going to stop me.' _She got to her feet and teleported herself into the room, where Hercules was crying his little heart out.

Hercules was still crying out. His arms were shaking and his voice was sore. He had a headache from all the crying that he had done. But that wouldn't stop him from fulfilling his wanted. Then pink orbs floated in the mid-air. Hercules stopped crying and stared in wonder at the pink lights. His face glowed in the pink light. His eyes gazed in wonder at the floating lights. The orbs had floated into one bright light and a tall figure appeared. Hercules recognised her intensely and reached up towards her. Hera smiled as she picked her little mortal baby and cuddled him close. 'Shh, little one, Mummy's here.' She cooed into his ear as she showered him with kisses. Her glow was warm and comforting. Tears flowed down from her eyes freely; she brought him close to her cheek. 'Mummy is not going anywhere,' she whispered to him. Her forehead pressed against his. He raised his arms and touched his mother's skin. He missed her touch and her warmth. Hercules stared at her with confusion, she was warmer than he remembered and she glowed brighter against his skin. He looked at his skin; it looked dull against her skin. He shrugged it off, it didn't matter. She was here now that's all that matters. Hera brought her arms down to her chest. The baby boy curled in his mother's arms, never wanting to leave again. His eyes grew heavy, yawned and stretched his arms. He had finally drifted off to sleep. Hera smiled at her little one.

'Hera, you shouldn't be here.' Her husband's gentle voice entered the room. She scrolled at her husband. 'What was I suppose to do, huh? Leave him crying until he dies. He needs me.' She held her child, he was hers and no rule or law was going to take him. 'Hera, you cannot to this to him or yourself.' Zeus wrapped his arms around her shoulders. 'There is nothing we can't do. He is now mortal and what you are doing isn't fair to him or to you.' Fire burned with Hera's eyes. She tightly held her baby, as if to stop anything from her son being taking away from her again. 'Unfair? He is my child. He was stolen away from me.' She raised her voice and tightly gripped Hercules.

The baby squirmed within her grasped. Against his mortal skin, red marks appeared on his arm. She had hurt him. Hercules began to cry as this new feeling, he had never felt, crept on his arm. Hera looked down at her son and gasped as she realise what she had just done. 'Oh no, my baby.' She released her grip on him and brought him up to her shoulder. 'I'm sorry, Hercules. Mummy didn't mean to hurt you.' The baby boy only cry against her shoulder. Hera try to soothe him by patting his back. Zeus sighed as he reached over. He gently placed his large hand over his son's injured arm. A glow appeared beneath his hand. The red marks had disappeared and his son no longer felt any pain. Hercules gently sniffed against Hera's shoulder and snuggled against her neck. He returned back to his sleep.

Hera was slightly shaking, she couldn't believe that she caused her baby pain. She sobbed and looked up Zeus. He sighed and gently took the baby from her. Hercules curled up in his father's large hands. The king of the gods placed his son back inside his mortal crib. He gently placed the blanket up to his neck and gently kissed his cheek. He turned around and saw his wife, sobbing against her hand. 'I-I-I'm so sorry.' She fell to her knees and cried against her hands. Zeus embraced his wife and gently rocked her. A small tear fell from his eye and traced off his cheek and off his beard. He gently stroked her back. She buried her face into his chest as the tears fell freely down her face. 'Zeus, I can't do this anymore. I know that he cries for us. He wants to be with us. He wants to be home.' He nodded. 'I know, but you know he cannot come with us. He is mortal now and you know what we must do.' Hera released him and look up straight into his eyes. 'No, my love. We can't. It's all he has left of us.' Zeus sighed and looked down at his wife. His mighty hand reached up and gently cupped her cheek. 'We have no other choice. We must do so for his sake. So that he could live.' Rivers flowed from her eyes. She slowly got up and kissed her son's forehead. 'Goodnight, my darling and farewell.' One of her tear slipped down her cheek and onto his face. Then Hera vanished and returned to Olympus.

Zeus sighed as he got up. He placed his hand upon his son's forehead. 'Hercules, I know that you miss us. So this is my final gift to you.' His hand glowed once more as the spell fell upon his son. The glow travelled down the baby's body. Young Hercules tossed his head slightly. His memories were changing. His memories of Zeus, Hera, Pegasus and the other Olympians faded from his mind. Instead they were replaced of memories of Amphitryon and Alcmene. The glow died as the spell was complete. A tear fell upon his face and the baby stroked it away. Zeus removed his hand and sighed. 'Even though I have removed me from your memory. You will always my boy, my little Hercules.' The small child breathe deeply. The king of the gods took his hand away. 'Until we meet again, my son.' The god slowly faded away and was absent from the boy's life until that day he arrived on the doorstep of the temple.


End file.
